Hawaiian Festivals

What are some popular Hawaiian festivals? When do they happen? Why are they so popular?

There’s nothing like a traditional Hawaiian festival. If you can schedule your trip to one of the islands at the same time as a festival, you won’t regret it. Here’s a list of festivals in Hawaii, when they are, and where you can find them. So check your travel arrangements and find out which ones you can catch!

• Hauoli Makahiki Hou. This is an early January party at the top of the Koko Crater on Oahu. The tradition is to climb up this crater and look out and wish yourself and your loved ones good cheer for the new year.
• Robert Burns Night. This is an annual January tradition in Honolulu at the Ilikai Hotel. Celebrate the birthday of Scottish poet Robert Burns with visiting Scots.
• Cherry Blossom Festival. This is a Honolulu festival that lasts from January to March. It’s a Japanese tradition that includes tea shows, pageants, balls and plenty of food. Events are planned all throughout this time.
• Haleiwa Sea Spree. This is an athletic event on Oahu in February that you don’t want to miss. It is complete with traditional Hawaiian sports, including surfing and canoeing.
• Captain Cook Festival. This February event is on Kauai, where the explorer first landed.
• Prince Kuhio Festival. This March Kauai festival celebrates all kinds of traditions from the era of Prince Kuhio in Hawaii.
• Hawaiian Festival of Music. This April even is in Waikiki Shell, Hawaii. It involves groups from across the island and across the mainland United States and includes music of all types.
• King Kamehameha Day. This June holiday celebrates the life of Kamehameha the Great with parties on all the islands, including music, parades, and lots of food.
• Hawaiian Islands Tall Ships Parade. This July 4th holiday is a tradition. You’ll see tall ships on all the islands.
• Aloha Week. This is a tradition in late September that celebrates Hawaiian culture. Plenty of pageants, galas, parades, and entertainment of all sorts can be seen.
• Annual King Kalakaua Keiki Hula Festival. This hula festival is for children only. But you can come watch plenty of children from across the Hawaiian islands perform the hula. It’s at Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, in November.